Global business aviation operating and manufacturing communities have pledged to further reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The programme is supported by community members General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations.

The members expect to achieve carbon-neutral growth and improvement in fuel efficiency of an average of 2% a year through 2020.

The industry also aims for a reduction in total carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared with 2005.

The measures are in concert with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) proposal for global aviation sectoral management of targets and monitoring of emissions.

IBAC director general Don Spruston said that as a global industry, it believes that ICAO should be granted sectoral responsibility to develop a simple and straightforward system to address aviation emissions worldwide.